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The Concretism Archive: Volume 1

by Concretism

Subscription Library exclusive
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vsep13
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vsep13 Great album, love the dreamy nostalgic spacey-ness. The old educational samples transport me back to early school days in the TV room and when all we had to worry about was if we were wearing the right trainers or swapping Panini football stickers.
Andrew H
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Andrew H Quite a mix of moods on this collection but a tinge of melancholia runs throughout, no better than on the lovely final track Last Day. Favorite track: Last Day.
Sinister Pete
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Sinister Pete Beautifully arranged track with deep sounds and wonderful intensity.
Favorite track: I Dreamt Of Coryton.
Michael J Bates
Michael J Bates thumbnail
Michael J Bates Top stuff. Looking forward to vol. 2! Favorite track: I Dreamt Of Coryton.
Gordon Chapman-Fox
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Gordon Chapman-Fox A beautiful album, with the last two tracks providing an epic finish. Favorite track: The Sum Of The Angles.
mobynick303
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mobynick303 this collection is just so beautiful. C5 is so very lush...and on repeat!! Favorite track: C5.
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Beach 01:39
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C5 06:42
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Last Day 06:26

about

After asking several times over the last few years, Chris Sharp finally relented and gave access to his archive of early Concretism tracks for a release for the CiS Subscription Library. These tracks all date back from the pre-"Town Planning" era when Chris was using Soundcloud as his main means of distribution. None have never been released on vinyl or been compiled together as a collection before now.

Having recently sent the new and forthcoming Concretism album "Teliffusion" off to be manufactured, it's apparent to me how Chris's sound has changed over the years from this early work to the more fully produced sound of his new album. There's a real development which is self evident and although there is a clear through line running from then to now (there is no mistaking who produced these tracks) there's an exciting rawness at play here which is thrilling to hear once again.

I recorded an interview with Chris in which he discusses each of these tracks in turn. He talks about how there's a real sense of his industrialised hometown milieu of Grays, Essex seeping into the fabric of tracks like "Beach" and "I Dreamt Of Coryton", corroding the music like rust. I'm drawn to music with a sense of place and there is plenty to transport you to the muddy banks of the Thames here. The "Beach" in question promises no relaxation in deck chairs, paddling at the shoreline or ice creams, but only menacing seagulls swooping above the black stained sand nestling under outage pipes. Coryton is a now disused oil refinery down the Thames from Grays, past Tilbury Docks and out to the Channel.

"C5" is an homage to Sir Clive Sinclair's death trap electronic transporter of the early eighties. An object I only ever saw on the news or comedy programmes and never in the wild.

"The Sum of the Angles" samples Open University programmes, while "Last Day" references a Concretism constant - a recurring nightmarish dream of a devastating nuclear attack. "If They Can Reach Them" sound like it might be sampling a PIF about keeping your medicines out of reach of young, tiny, inquisitive hands. Brrr.

In effect, he's building and establishing the tropes of classic Hauntological reference points throughout the collection. Something that the Concretism project has moved away from with Chris's new work, but it's a treat to have another spin though the "early stuff" compiled here from the Archive. His sense of unease and claustrophobia is just as strong as it ever was. As is the uplifting epic-ness inherent in tracks like "Conquistadors", a piece born out of a sick school day fever dream floating in and out of sofa bound consciousness in front of a history programme for schools and colleges. Fantastic.

The vinyl edition is pressed on 180g heavyweight red/black marble vinyl in Germany and the beautiful artwork is by Nick Taylor. In common with all Subscription Library releases the LP includes a postcard insert with additional art from Nick.

There may very well be a further Volume of tracks taken from Chris's archive. There's plenty more where this came from and there's still some really weird shit left in there which adds a whole other dimension to the Concretism story.

Alpha and a third line. And beta.

Colin Morrison
Biggleswade
January, 2021

credits

released January 10, 2021

Written and produced by Chris Sharp.
Design by Nick Taylor

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